PBS Kids Resources

PBS In-Home Activities - May 26, 2020

Detroit PBS KIDS

Daily Newsletter

In-Home Learning and Fun!

MAY 26, 2020

Was your most recent sewing project a face mask? Or did you have to ask someone else to do it for you? Give your kids a start with this household skill -- and introduce them to some crafting opportunities with a needle and thread!

The PBS KIDS Video app gives kids and parents access to thousands of free videos, including full episodes and clips from top PBS KIDS series. Stream the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel on the app for free (no subscription or login required). Tap the "LIVE TV" button to watch what's airing on your local PBS station right now.

Do you like to create things? What would you create if you were a master tailor or seamstress?

Infants and Toddlers:

Talking is Teaching
Wondering how you might improve your child's language skills? Use these five-minute cards to support learning during everyday activities.

Preschool:

Pasta Necklaces
Playing with pasta can be an excellent way for your child to hone fine motor skills. Dying the pasta brings in science while sorting and counting build math skills. Finally, support your child's sewing skills by threading macaroni onto yarn or string.Grades K-2:

Sew much fun
Miss Penny and the KidVision Kids go to Sew Much Fun to learn how to sew. They investigate sewing patterns, explore different types of fabrics, and learn what sewing notions are. Sew Much Fun!!!Grades 3-5:

Beanie Doll: Peg + Cat
For those not-so-savvy sewers out there, in order to make this Cat Beanie, you'll just need a sock, needle and thread, and some scraps of material.

Sewing is a handy life skill that has unfortunately fallen out of school lesson plans over the years. Knowing how to sew not only comes in handy when you tear your favorite clothes or need to repair a tent, but is a fun, creative hobby that encourages design thinking and problem-solving skills.

3:00 p.m. The Story of China with Michael Wood: The Last Empire/The Age of Revolution (World History)

In the 18th century China was the biggest economy in the world, and with that prosperity came a fabulously rich culture. From China's favorite novel, to opera and storytelling houses, and all-women's mosques, it's an age full of surprises. But then came the fateful clash with the British in the First Opium War, the beginning of the end of the empire.

2:00 p.m. - American Experience: Chasing the Moon: A Place Beyond the Sky
A Place Beyond the Sky begins in 1957 and tracks the early years of the space race as the United States struggles to catch up with the Soviet Union.Resource: Sputnik's Launch Begins the Space Race | Chasing the Moon

8:00 p.m. - MSU Extension Parenting Hour: Mindfulness for Children
Techniques of mindful awareness can help children learn to pay closer attention to their thoughts, feelings and emotions. Learn ways to help children reduce stress and anxiety to enhance their well-being. Extension Extras Parenting Hour is a free online series of parenting workshops that provide guidance for parents of young children as they navigate the challenges and concerns of parenting.

PBS In-Home Activities - MAY 16-17, 2020

-Detroit PBS KIDS

WEEKEND EDITION

In-Home Learning and Fun!

MAY 16-17, 2020

Resilience is a word you probably are hearing a lot these days. Resilience is defined as the ability to recover quickly from difficulties. In another era, it might have been called "grit" or "being tough" - but neither one of those quite capture the twin needs to "acknowledge the difficulty" and "keep going." These times require resilience from us as adults, and it is an important ability to teach our children.

In order to thrive, kids need to be able to make the transition from the negative "I can't" to the proactive "How can I?" As a parent, you can help them think about why they're stuck, what's frustrating them, what they would need to get unstuck. Help them think about their own thinking.

Self Care:

Resilience During a Pandemic
One of the most frequently recommended tools for coping? Maintain structure in our lives. Such routines and rituals as getting up in the morning at a regular time and building routines around daily tasks. Check out even more tips for surviving our extended shelter-in-place.

Perspective:

Rachel Hollis
Rachel Hollis is an American author, motivational speaker and blogger. In this episode from her Facebook video series, Rachel talks about what resilience looks like to her during these times.

East Lansing Virtual Art FestivalSaturday, May 16, a full day of live-streaming art offerings will be hosted on the ELAF Facebook page. The offerings will include online musical performances, online artist demonstrations, online demonstrations for at-home children's art activities, artist award announcements and more.

PBS Family Movie Nights on Channel 56.2: Nature Cat: Natural Wonders Mini-MarathonWatch May 15, 16, 17 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Explore the natural wonders of the world with Nature Cat! With the help of his animal friends, Nature Cat embarks on action-packed adventures full of nature investigation, "aha" discovery moments and humor, all while inspiring children to go outside and "play the show."

PBS In-Home Activities - MAY 7, 2020

Bee Ready! With the blooming trees and bushes, bees are back and are the buzz in today's newsletter activities.

App of the Day:

PBS KIDS Video App
The PBS KIDS Video app has been expanded to give kids and parents access to thousands of free videos, including full episodes and clips from top PBS KIDS series. With this app, kids can watch their favorite PBS KIDS shows anytime, anywhere!

B Buzz
Can you make two basketballs buzz like a bee? Give it a try, with this two basketball drill, from the Detroit Pistons.

CHANNEL 56 HIGHLIGHTS AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES10:00 a.m. - Spy in the Wild: A Nature Miniseries - The North
This "Spy in the Wild" episode explores how animals adapt to changing seasons, such as in Japan, where snow monkeys gather at steaming hot thermal pools. Meanwhile, Monarch butterflies migrate to find warmer places to spend the winter.

Scientists uncover the bizarre history of the poles, from miles-thick ice sheets to warm polar forests. Go beyond the broadcast to learn more about the Arctic and the Antarctic in this collection of resources.Resource: Polar Extremes Extras

WORLD CHANNEL (56.4) HIGHLIGHT1:00 p.m. - The Gene Doctors
See the treatments that scientists and doctors are devising to target the root causes of hereditary diseases, then check out Geniverse, a game-like environment that supports experimentation, critical thinking and writing about genetics.Resource: Geniverse

PARENTS:

PBS Newshour - Distance Learning and Special Needs
Roughly 14 percent of students enrolled in U.S. public schools receive special education services. As families across the nation grapple with home learning, what are the particular challenges the parents of these children face? Judy Woodruff talks to Selene Almazan of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, a nonprofit aiming to protect the rights of children with disabilities.

TEACHERS:

Students Salute Teachers
Since the educational world was turned upside-down, teachers have been ... well, amazing. Students think so, too. Here are just a few who want to share how much they miss you.

SPECIAL EVENTS:2:30 p.m. - Join the Michigan Science Center on Facebook every weekday to learn something you didn't know about science!

4:00 p.m. - Trying to figure out the next steps for your small business? Crain's Detroit Business reporter Nick Manes is moderating a free webinar with pros from the DEGC, the Small Business Association of Michigan, TCF Bank, Invest Detroit Ventures, and Tech Town. Registration required.

PBS In-Home Activities - May 4, 2020

Detroit PBS KIDS

Daily Newsletter

In-Home Learning and Fun!

MAY 4, 2020

May the 4th be with you! Have Star Wars fans in your family? RaisingLifeLongLearners.com has assembled a list of creative activities for the mini Jedi or Sith in your family.

Meanwhile, in today's activities, we're talking HEROES!

App of the Day:

Word Girl Superhero Training
Put your vocabulary skills to the test and see if you have what it takes to be WordGirl's sidekick! Create superhero avatars and train with WordGirl in this adventurous PBS KIDS app designed for kids 6 to 8.

Book of the Day:

Miss Maple's Seeds
12:00 noon: Michelle Obama reads this book written and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler.

Writing Prompt:

Do you have a hero in your life? Who is it and why?

Infants and Toddlers:

Video-Everyday Fun with Science
Young children, from birth to age five, are naturally curious about science. In the early years, children use scientific practices like:

Jackie Robinson | Athlete and Activist
Jackie Robinson was a sports hero who became a civil rights activist. When Jackie Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, he became the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. Demonstrating skill as a professional baseball player and consistent dignity both on and off the field, Robinson became an advocate for civil rights, as well as a role model.

Media Gallery | Letters Home to Hero Street
The film outlines the story of Frank Sandoval, a Mexican-American solider in World War II. His story is told through the letters he sent home to his family in Silvis, IL. Sandoval was one of eight veterans of WWII and the Korean War killed in combat from the same block-and-a-half neighborhood, now called "Hero Street, USA."

11:00 a.m. - Secrets of the Dead: Building Notre Dame
Follow an investigation into the centuries-long construction of Notre Dame de Paris, uncovering the vast architectural, technical and human challenges experienced throughout the turbulent history of one of the world's most celebrated buildings.Related Resource: Triangles and Arches in Architecture - Interactive

2:00 p.m. - The Great American Read: Other Worlds

Many novels on America's list of 100 favorites take us to other worlds. From fantasy to science fiction, historical fiction to stories of spiritual realms, what do these books tell us about our own world?Related Resource: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

WORLD CHANNEL (56.4) HIGHLIGHT

4:00 p.m. - The Greeks: Chasing Greatness
Discover how the ancient Greeks finally reached the peak of civilization -revolutionizing art, architecture, drama, philosophy, and government - and left a legacy that still points the way forward.Related Resource: Chasing Greatness

PARENTS:

Michigan Helpers
Mr. Rogers told us we should honor the "helpers." The Detroit Free Press (and others) are starting to do that. Good reminder that not all of us are at home.

FACEBOOK EVENTS:10:00 a.m. - Music from Detroit's Riverfront
Join Detroit Riverfront Conservancy for virtual Music Mondays. On May 4, they will stream a live performance with one of your favorite Reading and Rhythm on the Riverfront performers - Joe Reilly!

PBS In-Home Activities - May 2-3, 2020

Enjoy a spring weekend - with your favorite book. Let's get the kids reading this weekend!

SELF-CARE:

Taking Time For YOU!
Enjoy the weather of early May this weekend and take some time for yourself. Some quiet time, your favorite music, some deep breaths, a chat with a friend - whatever will make you feel better as a parent and educator.
Need ideas? Elmo can help!

The State of Michigan has assembled a guide featuring practical tips to support vulnerable families. It includes recommended questions to help understand the needs of potentially at-risk caregivers and children. It also provides statewide resources available to families who might have concerns about food, housing, mental health, finances or safety.

OUTDOOR READING:

10 Gorgeous Outdoor Reading Nooks (to inspire you)
We love a good reading nook. And, now that the weather is (in theory) warming up, it's time for outdoor reading! But how do you get the perfect reading area outdoors, with the best combo of sun (to warm you up) and shade (so you can actually see your book/e-reader)?

VIRTUAL LIBRARY:

MeL Ebook K-8 Collection
Your local library is closed, but the Michigan e-Library is open! With over 12,000 eBook titles available at your fingertips (including Diary of a Wimpy Kid!), it is easy to give students access to a wide range of books and have them access books digitally at home.

HELPING KIDS READ (AND WRITE):

Reading and Writing Quests
Daily reading and writing challenges for your kids are available for PreK and Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6-9 from Scholastic.

FOR TEACHERS (AND PARENTS):

Literacy Essentials
All of us want children throughout Michigan to be successful. An important part of student success centers around proficiency in reading. That's why a group of education experts developed new approaches for teachers to use in the classroom. The Literacy Essentials provide research-proven, effective approaches to markedly improve literacy skills among Michigan's youngest students.

LEANING INTO INTERESTS

If you have met one child on the autism spectrum, you have met one child with ASD. All children are unique and have different strengths and challenges. In order to truly help and encourage any child - and particularly a child with autism - get to know them and what makes them unique.

These two adults with autism show how special interests can be used in a beneficial manner. In fact, viewing special interests in a positive light can become part of a parent's superpower.ONLINE EVENTS:Saturday, 2:00 p.m. - Cameron Zvara Online Comedy Magic Show
On behalf of the Grosse Pointe Public Library, you are invited to Cameron Zvara's LIVE Online Comedy Magic Show! Get ready for mind blowing magic, comedy, juggling, music, and audience participation Free, but registration is required because slots are limited!

Sunday, 11:00 a.m. - Michigan Philharmonic "Miniature Masterpieces"
Every year, the Michigan Philharmonic dedicates one concert to music designed for a small chamber orchestra, generally fewer than 20 musicians. It's a unique musical experience! Watch it here.

Anytime Virtual Field Trip: 360 Cities
Cities, mountaintops, underwater, or even skydiving! Experience a new place by exploring this collection of 360-degree images!

Apply Now! The Child Care Relief Fund is a non-competitive grant program that helps childcare providers in Michigan cover costs during the COVID-19 state of emergency. The goal of the program is to help childcare providers stay in business and make childcare more affordable for Michigan families.

PBS In-Home Activities - April 26, 2020

Today's theme is influential women!

App of the Day:

Peg + Cat Tree Problem
Tree alert! Cat is stuck in a tree and he needs your help to get down! The Tree Problem offers a series of games designed to encourage children to engage in creative problem solving and practice early math skills.

Women in Aviation
Ohio is the birthplace of aviation, home to the International Air and Space Museum, and many pioneering women aviators. Ohioans served as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) in the World War II experimental military training program designed to train women to fly military aircraft. In more modern times, Ohio women have participated in NASA space initiatives and flights.

Grades 6-8:

Grace Abbott | Unladylike2020
This resource from Unladylike2020 examines the life and legacy of the health, labor and immigrant rights reformer Grace Abbott. Born into a progressive family of abolitionists and suffragettes in Nebraska, Abbott made it her life's work to help those in need--focusing on fighting for the rights of children, recent immigrants, and new mothers and their babies.

Grades 9-12:

Anna May Wong | Unladylike2020
In this resource from Unladylike2020, learn about actress Anna May Wong--the first Chinese American Hollywood movie star, producer and one of the most influential style icons of her time. Throughout Wong's career, she encountered racism and stereotyping in the roles she was offered, but in the end she found a way to flourish as an actor on her own terms starring in 60 films.

GET MOVING!

Jumping Jack Challenge
Doing jumping jacks helps your child build muscles and get his or her body ready for the day, and counting the jumping jacks builds math skills!

CHANNEL 56 HIGHLIGHTS AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES12:00 p.m. - NOVA, The Planets: Inner Worlds
Students investigate the origin of the elements, the process of planet formation, the evolution of life on Earth, and the conditions necessary for life as we know it. Related resource: Development of a Habitable Planet

3:00 p.m. - Get the Math: Explore Math in Fashion Design!
Following a profile of fashion designer and Project Runway winner Chloe Dao, students are prompted to alter garment designs, using their sense of style combined with their math skills to hit target price points. Related Resource: Math in Fashion

What to Do Now That Kids Are 'Back In School'
No matter how your child's new "school" is structured, the first piece of advice is to reset any expectations about what learning "should" look like and just embrace the process. According to Cheryl Walker, a seventh-grade English teacher at Kingsview Middle School in Germantown, Maryland, teachers themselves are still adjusting to classes looking and feeling completely different. Now, instead of a 45-minute block of classroom instruction, a smaller daily dose of math or language skills seems adequate.

12:00 noon - Mondays with Michelle Obama!
As part of the PBS KIDS Read-Alongs on Facebook and YouTube, Michelle Obama will read some of her favorite children's books. Today she will read "There's a Dragon in Your Book." The read-along will be available for viewing anytime afterward.

PBS In-Home Activities - April 24, 2020

Detroit PBS KIDS

Daily Newsletter

In-Home Learning and Fun!

APRIL 24, 2020

We close Earth Week with a couple of other notable science milestones. The Hubble Telescope was placed in space 30 years ago today. There's a rocket launch scheduled today and you can check what Hubble saw on your birthday!

We're also marking the anniversary of the mapping of the human genome with a special library-based special event. Meanwhile, send your kids back in time for a fossil hunt!

Children ages 4 to 8 can tilt and tap their way through multi-level games that encourage exploration of habitats around the world. As levels are completed, kids earn creature power "selfies," habitat stickers and "Wow! Facts" that help further their animal science and natural history learning.

Book of the Day:

"Flight School" draw-along
Author and illustrator Lita Judge presents a drawing activity related to the book Flight School for PBS Books Storytime.Writing Prompt:

Fossils preserve the earth's historical record going back millions of years. If you could choose something to preserve until the end of time, what would it be and why?

Infants and Toddlers:

Baby Talks: Parent Coronavirus Questions Answered
Q: I know it would be ideal if we could spend our time at home due to coronavirus playing with our children all the time, but it's just not possible. How do I get my little ones to play on their own for a little while when I need do other things (work/prepare food/etc.)?

Becoming a Fossil
The remains of the vast majority of organisms that die are eaten by scavengers or decompose beyond recognition before they can be preserved. The conditions under which fossils can successfully form are unusual, and the odds that a fossil will then be exposed at the surface again, and discovered, are smaller still.Grades 9-12:

The Most Useful Fossils in the World
For decades, one of the most abundant kinds of fossils on Earth, numbering in the millions of specimens, was a mystery to paleontologists. But geologists discovered that these mysterious fossils could basically be used to tell time in the deep past.

CHANNEL 56 HIGHLIGHTS AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES1:00 p.m. - Great Lakes Now: Sand, Sinkholes & Science
Travel with Great Lakes Now to the remote Canadian research station where scientists are working to understand -- and protect -- freshwater. Go deep into Lake Huron to see mysterious sinkholes, and watch as some homeowners try to save their Lake Michigan coastal homes while the waters wash away the beaches below them. Related resource: A Freshwater Oil Spill Cleanup Simulation

2:00 p.m. - Margaret Mitchell: American Masters
One of America's best-loved books is Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. But it's not an easy novel to understand or discuss. Filled with romance and nostalgia, Scarlett O'Hara's journey does not address the problems of slavery and can be painful to read. Yet this book prevails as a tale of gumption, courage, and of course, love. Related resource: Scarlett O'Hara's True Love in Gone with the Wind

5 Ways to Support Students with Complex Support Needs
In these unique times, everything about this new version of "virtual learning" is new to us. Teachers are scrambling to figure out appropriate platforms to use in virtual learning and exploring what type of instruction and assessments will work for their students. Learners in the classroom may have support needs that are very complex or unique, therefore, the struggles go beyond issues of instruction and assessment. Dr. Paula Kluth shares some advice in this webinar with the Florida Inclusion Network, available until April 30th only.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. - Michigan State University Extension Listening Sessions
To understand how they can help children, teachers, and families during this period, MSU Extension has launched a series of listening sessions. Michigan children, youth and those who support them, including parents and caregivers, as well as agencies and other organizations, are encouraged to join these sessions and share their thoughts. Please note that each session is focused on different communities.

2:00 p.m. - DSO: Look.Listen.Connect., produced in collaboration with the Detroit Institute of Arts, explores the inspiration behind creative works. How can music and art inspire one another? How have different histories and cultures shaped the development of music and art? Students will learn to connect what they see with what they hear and start searching for the deeper meanings behind creative works. Accompanying activities available.

2:00 p.m. - In Celebration of National DNA Day this week, PBS Books and partnering libraries nationwide will bring you an interactive event targeted at 4th to 9th graders. Drop in for animated shorts, a conversation with experts, DNA origami, activities from the Smithsonian and more!

Starting at 9:30 p.m. -Hubble Anniversary Rocket Launch. On the 30th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope into space, NASA plans to launch the Progress 75 cargo ship to the International Space Station.

PBS In-Home Activities - April 22, 2020

Detroit PBS KIDS

Daily Newsletter

In-Home Learning and Fun!

APRIL 22, 2020

EARTH DAY: Scientists are reporting that air pollution levels have dropped recently - one of the side-effects of sheltering at home from COVID-19.

Today is the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day - a day to encourage sustainability and is best celebrated by having fun out of doors. To get you in the spirit, check out this episode of the PBS KIDS series "Nature Cat"! Then follow Fred the Cat's lead in having fun outside!

App of the Day:

Earth Challenge 2020
Join citizens scientists around the world to collect billions of data points about the health of the Earth. Start collecting valuable data on air quality and plastic pollution with more topics to come throughout 2020! All you need is a mobile device and this app.

Book of the Day:

Roll With It by Jamie Sumner
"Roll With It" tells the story of Ellie, an irrepressible girl with cerebral palsy whose life takes an unexpected turn when she moves to a new town.

Writing Prompt:

Imagine the Earth could talk to people, what do you think it would say and why?

Infants and Toddlers:Sing Say Point and Play
This short video from the Oakland County Great Start Collaborative outlines some easy ways to build word skills with your child.

Grades K-2:Bye-Bye, Bottle
What happens to recyclables after the truck picks them up? In this short video, follow a plastic bottle from the recycle bin through the recycling process.

Grades 3-5:Earth Day Overview
April 22 is the day we celebrate Earth Day, and think about how many of our great modern innovations like trains, planes, and factories often create pollution and waste, and what we can do to change that.

Grades 6-8:Hot Mess
Hot Mess is a show about how climate change impacts all of us, and about how we can create a better future for our planet and ourselves.

Grades 9-12:A Citizen Science Initiative
Earth Challenge 2020 will help fulfill our goal of engaging millions of global citizens while integrating billions of data points from new and ongoing citizen science projects. See the App of the Day, which is part of this effort.

GET MOVING!Go Noodle Great Big Moose
Sing and dance because the great big moose drank some juice and now he's on the loose with Mother Goose!

12:00 p.m. - Nova: Rise of the Superstorms
In just one devastating month, Houston, Florida, and the Caribbean were changed forever. In summer 2017, three monster hurricanes swept in from the Atlantic one after another, shattering storm records and killing hundreds of people. NOVA takes you inside the 2017 superstorms and the cutting-edge research that will determine how well equipped we are to deal with hurricanes in the future. Related resource: Warmer Oceans, More Frequent Hurricanes?

1:00 p.m. - Great Lakes Now: In the Waters
Politics, economics, recreation and science are all part of the latest episode of Great Lakes Now. Go underwater in the five lakes with a group of women who dove them all in 24 hours and learn more about the controversy about controlling water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. Get aboard a commercial fishing boat on Lake Huron, and meet Dr. Katfish, who wants you to know that Great Lakes fish can be fun and festive. Related resource: Lake Ontario Shoreline Flooding

WORLD CHANNEL (56.4) HIGHLIGHT

1:00 p.m. - Kingdoms of the Sky: Andes
Experience the astonishing natural life found in the world's longest mountain range, where pumas hunt guanaco, shape-shifting frogs hide in remote cloud forests, and descendants of the Inca build bridges of grass. Related resource: The Grass Bridge

TEACHERS:When to Teach Online Classes Live and When to Let Students Learn on Demand
SYNCHRONOUS V. ASYNCHRONOUS: As professors and K-12 teachers adjust to the sudden move to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, one question keeps coming up: How much of class time should be done live - known as "synchronous" teaching--and how much should be done so that students can do the work at their convenience - or "asynchronous" teaching. Here's some advice from education leaders.

SPECIAL EVENTS:#50/50 Earth Day Challenge
Take action to protect our home waters for Earth Day (April 22) even though we are all social distancing right now. To celebrate Earth Day's 50th Anniversary while being safe, the Huron River Watershed Council is asking you to go outside and pick up 50 items of trash. Jump in any day on or around April 22, whatever day/time works for you. If you take proper precautions (gloves and a face mask) this social distance-friendly 50 for 50 activity is a great way to get outside, breathe fresh air, and make the world a better place.

10:00 a.m. - To mark Earth Day, the Michigan Office of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is hosting a livestream event with EGLE Director Liesl Clark and EGLE Office of Climate and Energy Adviser Brandy Brown, who will both talk about ways Michigan students can take steps to help protect the Earth. They also will recognize EGLE's student poster and school service award winners. Join the livestream here.

8:00 p.m. - The Detroit Public Television prime time schedule has three Earth Day themed programs: "Climate Change", "H20: The Molecule that Made Us", and "Killer Floods."

Detroit PBS KIDS

Daily NewsletterIn-Home Learning and Fun! APRIL 22, 2022

EARTH DAY: Scientists are reporting that air pollution levels have dropped recently - one of the side-effects of sheltering at home from COVID-19.

Today is the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day - a day to encourage sustainability and is best celebrated by having fun out of doors. To get you in the spirit, check out this episode of the PBS KIDS series "Nature Cat"! Then follow Fred the Cat's lead in having fun outside!

App of the Day:

Earth Challenge 2020
Join citizens scientists around the world to collect billions of data points about the health of the Earth. Start collecting valuable data on air quality and plastic pollution with more topics to come throughout 2020! All you need is a mobile device and this app.

Book of the Day:

Roll With It by Jamie Sumner
"Roll With It" tells the story of Ellie, an irrepressible girl with cerebral palsy whose life takes an unexpected turn when she moves to a new town.

Writing Prompt:

Imagine the Earth could talk to people, what do you think it would say and why?

Infants and Toddlers:

Sing Say Point and Play
This short video from the Oakland County Great Start Collaborative outlines some easy ways to build word skills with your child.

Preschool:

What Does Recycle Mean?
Daniel Tiger encourages your child to "Clean up, pick up everyday!" and learns a bit about reusing materials.

Grades K-2:

Bye-Bye, Bottle
What happens to recyclables after the truck picks them up? In this short video, follow a plastic bottle from the recycle bin through the recycling process.

Grades 3-5:

Earth Day Overview
April 22 is the day we celebrate Earth Day, and think about how many of our great modern innovations like trains, planes, and factories often create pollution and waste, and what we can do to change that.

Grades 6-8:

Hot Mess
Hot Mess is a show about how climate change impacts all of us, and about how we can create a better future for our planet and ourselves.

Grades 9-12:

A Citizen Science Initiative
Earth Challenge 2020 will help fulfill our goal of engaging millions of global citizens while integrating billions of data points from new and ongoing citizen science projects. See the App of the Day, which is part of this effort.

GET MOVING!

Go Noodle Great Big Moose
Sing and dance because the great big moose drank some juice and now he's on the loose with Mother Goose!

12:00 p.m. - Nova: Rise of the Superstorms
In just one devastating month, Houston, Florida, and the Caribbean were changed forever. In summer 2017, three monster hurricanes swept in from the Atlantic one after another, shattering storm records and killing hundreds of people. NOVA takes you inside the 2017 superstorms and the cutting-edge research that will determine how well equipped we are to deal with hurricanes in the future. Related resource: Warmer Oceans, More Frequent Hurricanes?

1:00 p.m. - Great Lakes Now: In the Waters
Politics, economics, recreation and science are all part of the latest episode of Great Lakes Now. Go underwater in the five lakes with a group of women who dove them all in 24 hours and learn more about the controversy about controlling water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. Get aboard a commercial fishing boat on Lake Huron, and meet Dr. Katfish, who wants you to know that Great Lakes fish can be fun and festive. Related resource: Lake Ontario Shoreline Flooding

WORLD CHANNEL (56.4) HIGHLIGHT

1:00 p.m. - Kingdoms of the Sky: Andes
Experience the astonishing natural life found in the world's longest mountain range, where pumas hunt guanaco, shape-shifting frogs hide in remote cloud forests, and descendants of the Inca build bridges of grass. Related resource: The Grass Bridge

SYNCHRONOUS V. ASYNCHRONOUS: As professors and K-12 teachers adjust to the sudden move to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, one question keeps coming up: How much of class time should be done live - known as "synchronous" teaching--and how much should be done so that students can do the work at their convenience - or "asynchronous" teaching. Here's some advice from education leaders.

Take action to protect our home waters for Earth Day (April 22) even though we are all social distancing right now. To celebrate Earth Day's 50th Anniversary while being safe, the Huron River Watershed Council is asking you to go outside and pick up 50 items of trash. Jump in any day on or around April 22, whatever day/time works for you. If you take proper precautions (gloves and a face mask) this social distance-friendly 50 for 50 activity is a great way to get outside, breathe fresh air, and make the world a better place.

10:00 a.m. - To mark Earth Day, the Michigan Office of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is hosting a livestream event with EGLE Director Liesl Clark and EGLE Office of Climate and Energy Adviser Brandy Brown, who will both talk about ways Michigan students can take steps to help protect the Earth. They also will recognize EGLE's student poster and school service award winners. Join the livestream here.

8:00 p.m. - The Detroit Public Television prime time schedule has three Earth Day themed programs: "Climate Change", "H20: The Molecule that Made Us", and "Killer Floods."

Ms. Van Buhler shares "I am excited to continue my partnership with PBS and I look forward to seeing how this opportunity will positively impact the youth and families we serve here at Ford! My partnership with Detroit PBS TV began last year when during our intercession breaks, Bright Futures @ Ford hosted PBS STEM camps for our youth (Ruff Ruffman, Ready Set Learn). Last summer the theme of our program was Ready Jet Go and our PBS station sponsored a science themed snack for youth every day of the program!"

Bravo! Bravo! We are so proud of you! We are so fortunate to have you as a colleague!

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